The Opelousas courier., 1887-11-12
JOAQUIN MURIETTA. OUTLAV.
A Pioneers Story of Famous California
ESa,,dItsa Toraor
San JOSS News.

A Pioneers Story of a aInou California
Bandits Career.
San JOSS News.
The following story is told by an old
pioneer OF California as the cause that led to
Joaquin Mr1rietta becoming a bandit and an
outlaw. The famous desperate was we'll
known in San Jose, and this county WAS the
scene of many 8 daring and bloody exploit.
When thousands of gold seekers were pour-
ing INTO California from all directions and
from all countries, there lived rear Sonora,
IuoIumne county, q young Mexican named
Joaquin Murietta and his wife Carmelita.
They occupied q roughly made but comfort
able cabin of three rooms, and all who made
their acquaintance were struck most pleas
antly with their happy Counten&nCes and the
many evidences Of their devotion to each
other. Both were possessed Of kindly, happy
dispositions; they were intelligent, and the
husband spoke English with considerable
tiuency.- Mufietta was engaged in garden
ing, and along both sides OF a little stream
that flowed near the door of his cottage the
ground had been carefully cultivated and
was covered with numerous vegetables which
would soon be ready for market. Yegetabl;rs
IN those days were worth almost their weight
III silver, and as the happy gardener, worked
and planned for the future when he could
return with his wife to their native land he
could hear the happy housewife singing some
sweet Spanish love song which he knew was
Intended for him..
A Mr.. Wilson, an American, who had q
claim near by. made his nome at their cot
tage, and all three were warm friends. Mu-
rletta was deriving an ample income from
ms garden, and, with the money received
from, Wilson for board, their prospects Wee
very bright: About this time the gold fever
increased in intensity. Men became more
selfish and less polished. There was a whirl
cards; murders were of frequent occurrence,
and IN all directions men were roaming the
bills and gulchee, and their eyes seemed to
glare lnsanely as they peercd into, every
puTlng brook and under every bOwlder for
gold. The happy trio at the cottage were
not disturbed for some time, but on q BEAU
tlful Sunday morning in April Wilson and
Joaquin .Murletta and his wife were seated
outside or the door converslng On their pros
poets and planning on the future. AS they
were thus pleasantly building castles, like
children, five rough men appeared a short
d1stane? below the cabin, al loaded with
menced prospecting in the stream. The re-
suit seemed to be highly satisfactory, for
there was a general yell, and active mining
operatlqns were at once commenced. The
arrived IN the mines, worked almost con-
stantly. They followed the gold streak up
the stream, and at length approached the
beautiful garden: valuable rs q gold mine,
with its wealth Of vegetables of all T~arities.
Mufletta and his friend Wilson began to be
ap~prehenslFe of trouble. and at length both
VISITED the miners and requested them as a
favor not TO mine through the garden, but
- SiN 1ANtC INT tItC Na4IuD1C
crop could be taken Off the ground.
1hey refused to heed the request, and an
sWered roughly that thew knew the law.
Murietta suggested that Wilson go TO town
and get legal relief. Wilson Started and
reached town i'll two hours. IT was 4 o'clock
III the afternoon wien returning he came i'll
sight OF the little cottage. He stopped and
gazed, but could see no II around the hoase.
He quickened his pace, while forebodings of
some terrible trouble filed his heart. He
reached the ~strean-the miners. with all
their belongings. had departed, and the
thought that then filled his half-dazed brain
was that his friends had been murdered.
His cheek paied, ana, le.ping over the
stream. he ran to the house and burst
through the door. He stood appalled, at the
bound hand and foot, lay Murietta. The
light of reason seemed TO have left his eyes,
which stared and rolled like a demons. Foam
was on his lips, and from his throat came in
coherent, choking sounds, while his body
writhed like a serpent. Bending quickly
over the man. wilson cut the ropes. AS
they fell Murietta ieaped to his feet with q
cry Of agony, such as Dante alone trould
describe. He rushed into the bedroom, and
there. lay his wife, apparently dead: her
clothing was torn from her person, and her
pallid face told Of the awful experience
threw himself beside her on the bed, and
clasplng her TO his breast, cried OUT: ''Mi
querlda. mi QueIida" dny darling, my dar-
llng}. Wilson sEood faint with horror st the
NGblie, aIltl cOtiu IIOt suppress q chill at Ills
heart as the frantic husband now paced un
and down the room, almost shriek1ng II
will kill them! | will kill them!!n Again and
again he would rush into the bedroom withi
enoearlng expressions, and then pace. like a
savage animal up and down the foofeof the
OTHER room. Wilson realized that it would
be no use to endeayor to pacify the man. lie
had suffered an hour of horror that had
burned deeply into his s2ul. He had Wit
messed that which had Changed his whole
nature and blasted his whole life. Wilson at
length Went to the bedside where lay the
almost girlish figure. He detected signs
of life, and too such meals rs we've at hand
to revive her. He was successful. Her
husband took her i'll his arms as II she were a
little baby and carried her to and fro, cover
ing her lace with kisses. Before nightfall
Mur5etta had become more calm oatw.rdIy.
but Wilson could see by his eyes that a tiger,
thirssing for blood. lurked IN the mans soul.
Carnellta was taken to So. ora, and there
placed with a friend, and n physician sum
moned. She was i'll a long time, but reeov-
cred.
Murietta disappeared. A week afterward
Wilson learned that two men had been killed
near Columbia. Within three wfhks ihree
more We're murdered. The Mesxican's re-
venge was complete. Hi had revenged the
outrage that had blasted his life, and was an
outlaw.